Art Journal Travel Box Instructions

I promised that I would write up instructions about how I made my Art Journal Travel Box. I am not an instructor, so if some of my directions are hard to follow, please forgive me!

 Supplies

Darcie Paper Mache Purse

Dylusions paints  (Bubble Gum Pink, Lemon Zest, Squeezed Orange, and Black Marble)

Brayer

Mini Blending Tools

Dylusions Stencils (large Squares, small Dotted Flowers,  large Arrow Border, large Diamond of a Border.)

Dylusions Journal Block

Tiny Attacher

Paint pens in black and white

2 Tim Holtz Elastic Loops

Rubber Stamps (Black Sheep and Legs Eleven)

Manilla Folder

Gesso (not pictured)

1. Gesso the outside of the purse and the inside sides.  
2. Apply paint to outsides of box with brayer.  Begin with pink and yellow, followed by orange. Also paint the inside sides of the purse and your manilla folder.
3. Stencil squares with pink paint using Mini Blending Tool. Then stencil small dots with yellow. I did not stencil the inside sides or the manilla folder.
4. Stencil border on bottom and top side of purse with black paint,
5. Stencil the sides of the purse with the arrow stencil in black paint.
6. Shade along the edges of the suitcase in black paint with the Mini Blending Tool.  
7. I drew my flowers in opposite corners with paint pens. See note blow in 14
8. On the lid of the purse, plan out your quote, leaving room for an image to the side. Lightly pencil curvy lines with the Journal Block.
9. Draw your letters lightly in pencil.
10. When you are happy with your lettering, color in your letters with black paint marker.  
11. Erase pencil lines.
12. Outline your letters in white paint marker. I also outlined some of my border, as well as the arrows in white paint pen. 
13. Stamp, color, and cut out the image you want on the purse.  Apply.  I used Matte medium because it can't be seen when dry. 
14. Draw arrows for image's hair.  ***Note, this is where I wished that I had not drawn the corner flower.  Her hair/arrows would have worked better.

Inside of the Purse

1. Cut manilla folder to fit the inside top and bottom of the purse.  
2. Find a piece of thin chipboard. This chipboard needs to fit into the lid of the purse.
3. Cover the piece of chipboard with left over manilla folder.  Or paint it to match.
4. Take the elastic loops and cut off the metal bits. You should have two lengths of elastic now.
5. Attach or staple the  elastic strips to the top of the chipboard. Mine are placed  with 2.5 inches of space between them.  (6.3 cm)
6. Place the items that you want to keep secured inside of your art journal box on the length of chipboard.  I did groups of 2.  Stretch elastic over first group of two to figure out how tight to pull the elastic, remember that it needs enough slack to remove and return the items. Staple the elastic around the first two items.  Repeat with next group of items.
7. Adhere manilla folder pieces to the top and bottom insides of the purse. Adhere the chipboard "tool holder" to the top inside manilla folder.